Since the turn of the century, the Dutch government has given high honors to almost two hundred foreign rulers and politicians. This is evident from data from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, requested by RTL News. The Netherlands most often awards awards to our neighboring countries, Belgium and Germany. Striking: Oman also scores very high.
The Dutch Royal House has good ties with the Sultan of Oman and his family. In 2012, the then Queen Beatrix went on a state visit and the sultan and no fewer than 14 ministers received the highest Dutch honor. Even the Minister of Religious Affairs and the Minister of Tourism in Oman received an award.
Ritual during official visits
Exchanging awards is part of the ritual during official state visits. It is ‘an expression of respect’, to show the ‘good relations between the two countries’. This often concerns those in power present at, for example, a state banquet.
The highest award in the Order of Orange-Nassau was awarded most often: Knight Grand Cross. The ribbon for ordinary citizens is the lowest grade, while the highest grade is chosen for prime ministers and ministers.
RTL Nieuws appealed to the Open Government Act to obtain an overview of all foreign heads of state, government leaders and ministers who have been decorated by the Dutch government since 2000.
Ranking by country:
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No Putin
But it is not automatic. Whether someone receives an award is a decision by the Minister of Foreign Affairs. According to the ministry, considerations are ‘international use, mutual relationships, expectations and sensitivities’.
For example, no awards have been presented to Russian President Putin or Russian ministers, despite two state visits since 2000. The overview also shows that no awards were presented to presidents, heads of government or ministers during the state visit to China.
‘Sobriety’ or not
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs cannot make a decision per country, but says it examines on a case-by-case basis ‘whether the exchange of decorations has added value for bilateral relations and for the image of the visit’. The other country is also looked at: do they also have similar awards to present?
The ministry says it is exercising ‘austerity’, although this has not been successful with 15 rulers from Oman. In addition to government leaders and ministers, top civil servants and senior officials from the royal household are also eligible for a decoration. This sometimes leads to long lists, such as the state visit to Japan.
Corruption
The list of different presidents, prime ministers and ministers includes several politicians who were later convicted. For example, French President Chirac (awarded in February 2000) was later sentenced to a suspended prison sentence for corruption.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva (awarded in March 2003) and Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra (awarded in January 2004) have also been convicted of corruption.
As far as is known, the Netherlands has not withdrawn the awards. This is legally possible if someone is sentenced to an irrevocable prison sentence of at least one year, wrote then minister Blok.
Emirates and Brunei
Leaders in controversial countries have also received high Dutch honors. In addition to the fifteen awards for the rulers in Oman, the United Arab Emirates are also on the list. For example, in 2012 the Netherlands distinguished the two highest rulers of the United Arab Emirates.
Several human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, criticize the situation in the Emirates. Human rights are being violated, activists and dissidents are being locked up in poor conditions.
Fuss about Brunei
In 2019, there was a fuss about the highest award for the Sultan of Brunei, after the country introduced Sharia law. Several MPs asked to withdraw the award, but the then Minister of Foreign Affairs did not want that.
Withdrawal would ‘not contribute to a substantive discussion about international law’, the minister said.
View an overview of all distinguished heads of state, heads of government and ministers since 2000 here:
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Fons Lambie and Jasper Bunskoek
Tags: Netherlands gave dozens rulers high awards including controversial countries RTL News
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